True Power
by Raisin Bread
Summary: Hollyleaf survived. Upset about what she did and her brother's lies she leaves her clan thinking she is dead. Jayfeather isn't fooled and when a prophency foretells true power he knows she is alive and out there, somewhere, he just needs to find her.
1. Prolouge: Lies of Death

**Prologue **

Hollyleaf watched the Thunderclan camp below her. She watched as Firestar, her own grandfather, call out to the cats of the clan to gather underneath Highledge and listen to what he had to say. She wanted hear what he said one last time before she left forever.

Not even a moon ago she hadn't had to deal with any of this worry. She had planned to be a Thunderclan warrior forever; come to think of it she had never planned on doing anything else. She was born in a clan and clan cats didn't just _leave _they stayed in their clan, they protected their way of life like it was sacred, they couldn't leave. They would and she would forever be warrior or if they were lucky, a leader. Sadness stole into her heart making her green eyes dull. She had always believed that one day she _would _be clan leader. Now she was a loner.

It seemed like so long ago when the fire had blazed through Thunderclan's territory and she and her brothers had been trapped with their only escape route a burning log with Ashfur on the other end making sure they didn't get out, making sure they all died. Just so Squirrelflight would feel the pain he had felt when she had chosen Brambleclaw over him.

Squirrelflight had been forced to give up a secret that should have been kept a secret and Ashfur was going to expose her mother at the next gathering with all the clans there.

She couldn't let him expose her mother so she, Hollyleaf had killed him and dumped his body in the creek by the Windclan border. She had hoped it would haul his body to the lake and sink it but it had caught in the rocks and been found by one of the Thunderclan cats.

Leafpool had discovered the truth about the murder at the same time Hollyleaf had discovered that Leafpool was her real mother.

She had been upset about the whole ordeal and the clan's disrespect for the warrior code Hollyleaf had told _everyone _at the gathering herself. She regretted it as soon as the words had come out and raced into a cavern outraged at herself for doing such a thing, the entrance had fallen in behind her but she easily found another way out.

She couldn't go back now to her clan now, not now that she had done. _Would they even want me back after killing a warrior and exposing my parents? No, of course they wouldn't._

Firestar's voice echoed around the camp and up to her ears. She could hear the sadness in his voice and his tail drooped on the ground as his head bent low. "It is with great sadness that I make this announcement today so much has happened that must be dealt with. Leafpool, as you know you can no longer continue on as the clan's medicine cat."

"I know." She growled, regretfully but harshly. "But my apprentice, my err son, has learned all that is needed and will take my place."

Hollyleaf saw her brother bristle at being said to become the new medicine cat she could feel his worry as though they were her own thoughts and that for once in his life he doubted himself, by being blind. The feeling surprised her Jayfeather had never slacked any because of being blind he was perfectly fine and made sure everyone knew it. He would claw the ears off of anyone who pitied him for being blind now he doubted himself. She wanted to go down in to the camp and tell him that everything would be ok but, she couldn't

"Yes, Jayfeather will be Thunderclan's medicine cat!" Firestar continued. "However both Leafpool and Squirrelflight shall retire their duties."

Her eyes darted through the crowd of cats and rested on Squirrelflight. Hollyleaf watched her mother, it was impossible not to think of Squirrelflight not as her mother even if her sister Leafpool had been their mother. Squirrelflight tensed and scowled outraged at the thought. She could also see her father, Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight's mate, fidget in his place watching his mate bristle knowing full well a fight would break out soon. Brambleclaw had been the first to fight with Squirrelflight when the truth came out but it looked like now he had forgiven her, after all he still loved her. He was right Squirrelflight could contain herself no longer from the mention of retiring to an elder. "You can't expect me to retire as an elder!" She snarled. "You are mouse-brained if you think I won't stop sharpening my claws or hunting!"

The clan cats were all looking down at their paws pretending not to be paying attention as the fight between leader and his daughter continued. "I expect you to do just so if you don't want to be banned for what you did!" He calming replied.

"But she was my sister!" She snapped and then calmly replied "Being a loner sounds more intriguing! But you _will_ need me if there is a battle." She ended with a hiss and then went over to sit by her sister who had said nothing.

Firestar continued as though nothing had happened. His gaze drifted from the two she-cats sweeping over the rest of the cats.

As his eyes stopped on her brothers who were sitting next to Highledge they looked so depressed and she wondered why they were so upset. Just as her imagination was beginning to take over Firestar's voice spoke out. "The most upsetting news, however, is this. Jayfeather and Lionblaze have just told me Hollyleaf is dead."

Hollyleaf's ears pricked up and she instantly became more intrigued, if that was possible. She squirmed up towards the edge more so her entire head was over the wall and her eyes pierced the cats below. She wanted hear everything about this and why her mouse-brained brothers thought she was dead.

She could see Leafpool lie down close next to Squirrelflight, and both of the cats put their heads down even from her vantage point she could see the pain in their dull eyes. _Did they really think I would come back after that? _Her father, or whatever he was, closed his eyes as though he could make it all go away. Sorrow filled her with guilt. _Perhaps I should tell them I'm not dead. How can I do that? They'd attack me!_ She shook her head as if that could clear the thought out of her mind. She sighed and thought about leaving now before she couldn't handle herself anymore and went down to her clanmates.

"Jayfeather and Lionblaze said she was chasing a squirrel when rocks collapsed on her." Firestar meowed.

_Collapsed on me! Hunting a squirrel! They didn't even tell the truth. _It disgusted the need to go see her clan again. _Why didn't they say the truth, that I killed Ashfur that, I was upset that I ran into the rocks and I wasn't hunting! _She wanted to yell down into the cats the truth. _They lied! _Now she was sure she couldn't, she wouldn't go back to her lying brothers. She felt bad for her mothers though, she hadn't meant to get them retired which was probably the worst punishment Firestar could put on them, Squirrelflight especially. She didn't want to be the apprentices right now.

"Let us remember her as a brave hunter who was trying to feed her clan." Firestar boomed but he too was upset.

Hollyleaf had just enough of her, _former _clan. She was disgusted beyond having any feelings for her brothers who she had been able to feel their thoughts since she was a kit.

As she backed up on her stomach to leave to never return her front paw pushed too hard and un-lodged a rock sending it dropping into the camp with the cats below. There were no cats underneath but it startled the whole clan. "Sandstorm, Brambleclaw, Graystripe go see what's up there." Firestar called out "This meeting is over."

Hollyleaf slid away from the edge and out of the bracken that covered its edges. With one final look back she hesitantly darted away from the only place she ever knew.

Lionblaze and Jayfeather were among the ones who went up to the edge to investigate who was up there, though they hadn't been ordered to do so. "There's nothing but Thunderclan scent, not even prey!" Hisssed Sandstorm grumpily.

Jayfeather slithered up to the edge, they were right nothing but Thunderclan smell was there. But he recognized the particular smell of a Thunderclan cat. Hollyleaf.


	2. Changed, but not Different

**Sorry it took so long for me to update but, I would like to say I have been working on this chapter for a while, and I apologize for it being so long. ______________________________________________________________________________ **

Lionblaze stalked over to the Fresh-kill pile after the meeting was over. He greedily grabbed a fat starling he had found at the bottom of the pile and dug through the pile with his paw until he found a plump mouse and turned to head over to Jayfeather, mouse and starling hanging limply from his mouth and hoping to get his and his brother's mind off Hollyleaf, but it wasn't working for either of them.

He dropped the mouse in front of Jayfeather, not saying anything and not bothering putting on a happy look knowing that it would be pointless, one because his brother was blind and two because it would fool Jayfeather any. He didn't even turn to his head towards the mouse; his sightless blue eyes were staring off into somewhere only he could see. He wasn't talking either and barely breathing while his tail flicked back and forth making Lionblaze paws tingle. Lionblaze watched him through mouthfuls wishing he could read Jayfeather's thoughts half as well as Jayfeather could read his own. His whiskers twitched in annoyance as his patience was wearing thin, silently praying to Starclan Jayfeather would do something soon, though he doubted they coud help at this point.

As if Jayfeather had read his thoughts he turned his attention back to the mouse Lionblaze had placed in front of him, looking down at it he but still not eating it "I'm telling you I smelled Hollyleaf up there." Growled Jayfeather still pretending Hollyleaf was still alive or so Lionblaze thought.

"Maybe but if so it was old, Jayfeather I know this is hard but she is dead." Lionblaze whispered not wanting to get involved in this again it was upsetting for both of them.

Jayfeather murmured something Lionblaze couldn't understand and stood up, leaving the mouse, and stalked off towards the medicine cat's den leaving his brother sitting there staring at the mouth of the den. A growl ebbed its way up Lionblaze's throat, he hated Jayfeather when, after an argument he would go off and sulk. How was this going to work now that their peacekeeper was dead? It wasn't.

He stood up and picked up the mouse by its tail and bounded off after his brother into the den focusing on every paw-step keeping his mind off of her for the moment. The dim light was impossible to see through. _How does he find anything in here? _As soon as he remembered his brother was blind he reworded the question. _How did Leafpool find anything in here? _

There was no sign of his brother anywhere in the dimly lit cave. The memory of Hollyleaf was reforming in his mind and now he was desperately trying to find him and make up for their argument before he got lost in the never ending darkness of the cave that and his awful memories. "Jayfeather? Jayfeather…" Lionblaze called through the mouse in his teeth into the darkness.

Finally his eyes were able to adjust in the light and the memories fade with the darkness to the relief of Lionblaze. He soon found Jayfeather, well, the outline of him, in the back of the cave almost invisible against the dark rocks and slumped over. The back of the cave had an overwhelming smell of herbs that wafted up going into his nose making him choke and sneeze. Jayfeather didn't move a muscle as he sneezed from the herb-smell.

Jayfeather was crouched over a leaf-bundle that held something that looked a suspiciously lot like cat hair. "Wh' arth oooing?" Lionblaze question sounded more like choking as the mouse wiggled in his jaws.

Jayfeather looked up and despite his blindness his eyes showed his confusion and seemed to ask if Lionblaze was okay. Lionblaze spit the mouse out of his mouth, the corpse landing next to Jayfeather. "What are you doing?"

"Smelling." Was all Jayfeather said, his voice showed clearly he was still upset from the argument.

"Smelling what?" The whole thing seemed a little weird to him but he was determined to be nice, for Hollyleaf.

"Hollyleaf's fur." Jayfeather wasn't in the mood for this he knew his brother was pricking with annoyance.

"Where did you get that?" Lionblaze was beginning to worry about his brother.

"Leafpool had it from the… oh you know very well what!" Jayfeather snapped still refusing to say the part about the murder.

"Sorry."

"It was Hollyleaf, up by the edge!" Jayfeather smiled.

"It was probably old." Replied Lionblaze again.

"No! It was fresh like she was just there!" Jayfeather growled not letting his brother ruin the truth of what really had happened.

"Fresher than last night?" Lionblaze asked almost spitefully, still trying to be nice, and knowing full well there was no way to tell.

"Like she was just there, right before we got there." Jayfeather meowed harshly.

Lionblaze was quiet he didn't believe his brother. But he believed in his brother's uncanny ability to know weird things like this both he and Hollyleaf had depended on him for these things, now he was beginning to doubt his brother's abilities. Even if there was no body he knew she was gone and he didn't want to give his brother any false hopes and he didn't want to believe she was alive himself. Losing his sister had been hard on them both.

"I know it's hard but, we need to accept that she's gone." Lionblaze went over to his brother and sat down next to him folding his paws up under him and trying to comfort his brother.

Jayfeather bristled at his touch and swiftly got to his feet and rewrapped the bundle of Hollyleaf's fur and tucked it into a small crack. He spun around and glared at Lionblaze, Jayfeathers eyes seemed to scratch him, making him feel small. "What about the prophecy?" Jayfeather hissed.

"What about it? We've been over this Cloudtail, is Firestar's kin, Whitewing is his kit, one of her kits could be the one." Lionblaze didn't like this, he liked having his emotions under control and now they were being hurt as the wound of his sister's death was reopened, again, there was no avoiding it.

Lionblaze could feel Jayfeather become irritated with him and decided he should just drop the whole thing he didn't want to be angry with his brother and didn't want his brother angry with him. He didn't want this conversation to go on any longer, if he really didn't believe that Hollyleaf was dead and that another could take her place even if they still fit the lines of the prophecy that was his own problem.

Jayfeather's eyes were still piercing his pelt waiting for him to say something. He wanted to scream at Jayfeather and claw his eyes open. He wanted to make him see that if Hollyleaf wasn't dead why didn't she come back and why didn't they find a trace of her leaving the hole because she was dead, because the cave had fallen on her! But he didn't he kept his temper down and get his voice just to whisper to Jayfeather and not be about the Hollyleaf ordeal. "Let's go hunting." He suggested.

He never doubted Jayfeather's ability to hunt he was better than he or Hollyleaf was despite his blindness he could hear prey from half-way across the lake. He had thought that this would end the argument and they could do something else but, his brother wasn't as easily satisfied and with his idea and snarled at him barely brushing his face. "Don't change the subject!" He hissed, "I'm still angry at you for not caring enough to hope your sister is alive."

"Of course I want to hope that!" Jayfeather had gotten him mad now, "but I can't, she is dead Jayfeather please stop doing this please stop pretending!"

"I'm not pretending!" He snarled. "I'm telling the truth, she was up there after the cave fell down on her!"

"How can you possibly know that?" Lionblaze retorted.

"I just do!"

Lionblaze couldn't take anymore of this. He didn't want to believe his sister was alive he didn't want to get hurt when she wasn't he just wanted to focus on becoming a great warrior not some crazy prophecy about him and his brother and some other cat. _I don't care_! He just wanted to forget everything that had happened, it was just making life harder.

Lionblaze stalked grumpily out of the medicine cats den now belonging to his brother. His paws briskly padding towards the Thunderclan entrance, he wanted to be alone.

His thoughts floated away into the forest, to the fox den where he and his siblings and bounced into as kits only to be chased out by foxes. "Lionblaze! Wait up!" The voice echoed over the empty clearing.

_So much for being alone, _Lionblaze sulked in his mind. The familiar pelt of the dark tabby bounded towards him, the other cat's eyes still misty with grief and he didn't even want to know what he looked like after the death of his sister and fight with his brother. _Curse this prophency!_

As Brambleclaw neared his eyes narrowed into a glare and the much older warrior, he really didn't care at that moment he wanted to be alone yet, no one seemed to get the hint he was attempting to send out. As Brambleclaw noticed his stare he skidded to a halt a few tail-lengths away his tail flicking back and forth, as the two cats stared at each other.

Ever since the truth had surfaced everything involving anything to do with the way he used to think his old life was had changed. Brambleclaw wasn't his father, Squirrelflight wasn't his mother, and now they treated each other differently or at least he and his father did. They kept trying to act as how things really were, they were both warriors and nothing more but, it seemed to be impossible.

Lionblazes eyes softened a little as he looked at the cat he had once thought his father. As hard as he tried to think of Brambleclaw as just another warrior, well, deputy, he couldn't. As soon as Brambleclaw came into view it was impossible to think of him as being just another warrior.

He felt his muscles relax, he didn't mind talking to the cat that was once his father, and probably always would be, he was used to it, comfertable with and that wouldn't change just because Brambleclaw wasn't his father, it wasn't that simple.

Before Lionblaze could say anything Brambleclaw broke the silence between them. "So, how are you two taking it?"

Liondblaze's muscles tensed again, he hadn't been ready for that question and furthermore wasn't the answer obvious. Lionblaze's mind screamed at him. _Not again! _Brambleclaw stared uncomfortably back at him and he quickly recovered his calmness. "Not well."

"I'm sorry about your sister, we all feel lost without her. I can't believe after everything she died chasing a squirrel." Brambleclaw said turning his face so not to show the sadness over Hollyleaf she wasn't his daughter, he shouldn't even be grieving with the cat's that were actually related to her but in his mind, she still was his daughter.

Lionblaze felt his pelt tingle at the mention of her chasing after a squirrel. He and his brother had made it up so the clan wouldn't think too poorly of her but, it seemed to be eating away at him. "Oh, yeah." He recovered smoothly, "Jayfeather is still upset. We were the ones who saw it but it seemed so much more official when Firestar said." He admitted, trying to make it sound like Jayfeather was the one upset but, he didn't think Brambleclaw was falling for it.

This whole conversation was awkward to both of them it was the first time they'd talked since they both knew the truth over the whole ordeal and it wasn't exactly going right. They were both sitting a little way apart from each other. The silence dragged on until once again Brambleclaw broke through it "Why don't we go hunting?"

"Okay." He had wanted to go hunting this whole time to get his mind off of Hollyleaf's death.

Lionblaze had wanted to go alone but, he was okay with going with another cat, so long as that cat was Brambleclaw, or Jayfeather.

Brambleclaw led the way out of the camp and around into the brush leading up away from the lake. He followed Brambleclaw easily, though the thick bushes kept catching on his pelt. Suddenly Brambleclaw leapt up swiftly turning direction in midair. He landed on a shrew and quickly bit the back of its neck killing it.

Brambleclaw dug a small hole and buried the body to come back for it later. Lionblaze cursed himself for not hearing it first. His mind was still on Hollyleaf and he feared that the memory of her would be in his mind forever but, was that such a bad thing?

A loud death shriek made him jump from his thoughts. He turned to see Brambleclaw have mouse clenched firmly in his teeth. "Two for two." Brambleclaw said braggingly trying to go back to a simpliar time where they could still joke together.

Lionblaze growled upset, he really needed to get his mind off of Hollyleaf or he would be known for the exact opposite of Hollyleaf, a terrible hunter. He sighed but then his ears perked up at the sound of wings gently stopping and then the unmistakable sound of the bird scratching for something to eat.

Immediately Lionblaze crouched down, his muscles bunching as he readied himslef for the pounce. He gently crawled towards the noise of the bird. Stopping after every step to make sure the bird hadn't caught on yet. Every muscle perfectly in tune his eyes focused solely on the bird.

He was so close when the bird picked up its head, worried he might lose his catch his muscles tensed each one rippling with anticipation for his catch. His tail waggled and just as the bird went back to scratching he pounced.

He felt the bird's feathers under his paws as he pinned it against the ground. It barely had time to struggle and let out a surprised chirp before Lionblaze silenced it forever with a swift sweep of his paw.

A gust of wind picked up, it was too small to be much of anything but it brought the forest smells wafting into his nose. The clean woodly smells and the threat of rain, all was brought to his attention by the small shift of wind. Suddenly a new smell came in contact with his nose, a scent that seemed to stop his heart from beating all together. His eyes flung open and all the other smells seemed to disapear as he focused on just the one.

He stiffened as he heard the sound of footsteps echoing behind him. He turned breifly to see the Brambleclaw's familiar face, the older cat's eyes dimly beaming with pride. As soon as he was sure of who it was his senses focused the other direction again, he was slightly of Brambleclaw clearing his throat to gain back his attention, it worked.

"I, ah, gotta go." Lionblaze called over his shoulder as he bounded away leaving the dead bird where he had slain it, relentlessly going deeper in the woods and farther away from the lake.

The thick brush began to get less and less as he headed away from Thunderclan's outward boundry. The soft dirt began to get harder and gave way to stone as Lionblaze ran on not even hesitaiting as a small bird darted up from the forest floor.

As he neared the border the scent became considerably more pungnet. He sat down breathing heavily from his run, he didn't need to guess where the trail led, he could practicly see it disapearing over the horizon.

There was no mistaking the smell even though Lionblaze wished it weren't true, his sister had been here and not long ago. He looked as far out as his eyes could see, he could practicly see the black she-cat running towards her unknown desination but, one thing tickled Lionblaze's mind as his eyes never left the trail, Hollyleaf had never been this far in Thunderclan territory and hadn't to his knowledge been outside of this border.

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	3. Now What?

Lionblaze bolted through the entrance of camp, not breaking stride as he hurdled to the otherside of the camp. He didn't stop as the other cats were forced to jump to their feet and get out of the way of the running cat. He about stepped on Squirrelflight's tail as she sat quietly conversing with her sister but, a warning hiss from Leafpool she managed to pull her tail up out of the way before he squashed it. He still didn't stop, or even slow down for that matter but, kept running, he only had eyes for the narrow den on the otherside, he needed to tell Jayfeather what he had smelled at the border, maybe his brother was right…

As he ran into the becoming more familiar darkness of the medicine cat den he yowled his brother's name, as loud as he possibly could, again and again, hardly waiting for a response inbetween. A low hiss came from the back of the cave, his eyes had fully adjusted now and he could see his brother curled up in his nest, head raised and unseeing eyes glareing at him. "Keep going on like that and Riverclan is going to come see what's wrong." Jayfeather growled tiredly.

Lionblaze bit his lip, he hadn't meant wake his brother up but, then again this news was more important that a small nap, or at least he thought so and after the way Jayfeather had argued with him, he figured his brother would find this more important too. Or at least he hoped his brother did, he didn't want to lose his ears today, or anyday for that matter, he liked his ears.

Lionblaze blinked back the thoughts of losing his ears, of course Jayfeather would find that important, and his ears would, oh, why couldn't he just stop it? His eyes focused back on his brother whose eyes were now icily staring through him waiting for an explaination. "You were right! Jayfeather, you were right!" He cried, lowering his voice when he accidently yelled.

He watched as his brother blinked not-understanding what he meant. He felt mousebrained, he shouldn't have expected Jayfeather to understand something that he hadn't bothered to explain after he had woken him up and blabbered like a fool. "You were right about Hollyleaf." He said simply and quietly.

He watched as Jayfeather's mouth dropped open to speak and then clamped shut again. The other cat's eyes staring unblinkingly at a single spot that apparently was behind him because his brother was look right through him, onto the otherside and then past the wall that surrounded the cave.

As he watched his brother gazing he noticed how heavily he was breathing, his tongue was halfway out of his mouth and he quickly pulled it back in. Yet, his mouth still hung open panting from the sudded sprint he had done to get back to camp.

Brambleclaw came to his mind, he had left the deputy staring after him as he had made a mad dash into the forest, along with the dead bird he had caught. He shook his head to clear the thoughts, they weren't important right now not after what he had just found.

He was aware of his brother's movements as the medicine cat came out of the trance. "Wha… nevermind, how do you know this? The last time I saw you thought I was crazy and for the last time lower your voice, we don't want the whole clan hearing this." The last part was a low hiss coming from Jayfeather's mouth.

"I-I." His breath was still heavy from exhaustion, "I was hunting w-with Bramb-bleblaw and the wind-d changed and I caugh-ht her scent so I followed and it led out of the upward border, far out-t that way."

Jayfeather looked at him, not through him but, at him this time. His brother looked as if he was searching Lionblaze's face for any sign of teasing but, seemed to find none. He didn't know how that worked, his brother being bli… he stopped that thought before it popped into his mind, he still ahd a theory that his brother could read his mind. "You're sure?" His brother's voice broke through his thoughts.

He nodded he couldn't say anything, he didn't know what to say. He didn't know wherther to apologize or continue talking about what had happened but, he had exhausted the whole he-knew-Hollyleaf-was-alive scenario so he decided to apologive. "I'm so-" he started but, was silence by Jayfeather.

"I know,"

There his brother went again, he was sure the blind cat could read his mind, huh, maybe he shouldn't have thought blind. "What should we do then?" His own voice broke out as soon as the thought had crossed his mind suddenly.

"I-I-I don't know," Jayfeather confessed "I'm just getting used to be medicine cat, and I don't know if I trust my-"

Now it was Lionblaze's time to stop Jayfeather, "Don't think that way, you're a great medicine cat, and you've never doubted youself before!" Yep, shouldn't have thought blind...

"It's just…"

"Shut up!!"

"Alright, alright…" Jayfeather said simply looking over at his brother a flicker of hope gleaming in his dull eyes.

"So what should we do?" Lionblaze repeated and trying to get his brother's mind off of, he wasn't going to think it.

"We go after her of course." Jayfeather said simply standing up and shaking moss pieces from his fur.

Lionblaze just nodded absently, his mind was elsewhere. If Hollyleaf was alive, saying she had survived the rock fall, was Jayfeather right when he had said she had been up on the ledge before or worse, during the meeting. Had she heard their lie about her and what had she thought of her death? Furthermore, what did she think of them, her own blood?

"We must go after her, and we must find her, she is one of the three, we need her." His brother's voice barely echoed into his thoughts.

Hollyleaf wasn't going to be easy to find, or at least he didn't think she would and she wouldn't want to come back it was obvious by the fact that she didn't come back that she didn't care about the prophency. Or maybe she was just hurt or upset, maybe she was just off sulking as she sometimes did, maybe she would come back soon and they wouldn't have to worry about coming after her, so why did he doubt it.


End file.
